Driving around the neighborhood, you may have noticed little TruGreen flags popping up in people’s yards. These signs were more common on large, luxurious houses in the past. So, does this mean it’s become an affordable service everybody can afford? Well, here I’m going to break down how much TruGreen costs and explain what their packages include.
What does TruGreen cost you? (The Short Answer)
A typical 5000 square foot lawn will cost $402 per year for TruGreen’s starter package, the TruMaintenance Plan. This plan includes fertilizer, pest control, and much more. The TruSignature plan costs $1208 per annum and is on the opposite end. This is TruGreen’s top plan and includes fertilizer, seeding, aeration, weed control, grub control, tree care, and shrub care.
The Different TruGreen Services Explained
TruGreen offers a variety of packages that can cover all your needs, from the most basic to the most comprehensive. For those who are interested, there’s even an all-natural option. So, let’s have a closer look at what’s included within their different plan options and see what the best option is for your yard.
| Plan | Tru Maintenance | Tru Health | Tru Complete | Tru Signature | Tru Natural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soil Testing | x | x | x | x | x |
| Lawn fertilizer | x | x | x | x | x |
| Lawn Seeding | x | x | |||
| Lawn Aeration | x | x | |||
| Pre-Emergent Weed Management | x | x | x | x | |
| Target Herbicide Treatment | x | x | x | x | |
| Pest Control “Grub” | x | x | x | ||
| Tree Care | x | ||||
| Shrub Care | x | ||||
| All Natural | x |
Now that you can see what each plan includes, let’s take a closer look at what each of the items actually means and what they can do for you.
Soil Testing & Lawn Fertilizer
Fertilizing is a method to give grass the nutrients it requires to grow and look its best. Because many nutrients are already present in the soil, testing is essential. TruGreen will test your soil in order to determine the best fertilizer or strength for your lawn.
Lawn Seeding & Lawn Aeration
For lawns that wish to be thick and healthy, it is necessary to take extra care. TruGreen provides overseeding and aeration services to remove bare spots and strengthen your lawn.
Pre-Emergent Weed Management
Pre-emergent control is what you need to know if you’ve ever wondered why certain people don’t get weeds. This type of weed control prevents the weeds’ seeds from ever being able to germinate and grow.
Target Herbicide Treatments
If you have lawn weeds that aren’t especially hard to keep under control, then you’ll need target herbicides. These herbicides can be used for specific weeds, such as dollar weeds. You’ve probably tried generic herbicides and they don’t work with hardy weeds.
Pest Control
Lawn grubs are very destructive to grass roots. If you’ve ever been a victim, you’ll know what it is like to eat the roots and kill the grass. If you leave them to continue eating the roots, you’ll soon end up with no lawn. TruGreen offers this service as a part of their comprehensive plans.
Tree Care
For trees to be healthy and pest-free, they need special attention. TruGreen offers services to fertilize, control pests, and prevent and treat disease. They also offer visits for trees.
Shrub Care
As with trees shrubs also need special attention. This includes fertilizer and pest control.
All Natural
You’ll notice that the All-Natural plan has some items missing. Pesticides and herbicides contain non-natural chemicals. So, if you don’t want these kinds of products used in your yard, then TruGreen has a solution.
Factors that could influence the price of your TruGreen Lawn Treatment package
Even though they are the same size, each package plan may have a different cost. TruGreen, just like other companies, has overhead costs that can impact the base price. Let’s take a closer look at the factors that may affect the cost of your TruGreen lawn treatment package.
Packages & Extras
TruGreen pricing and plans will be affected first by the services you choose for your yard. There are many packages available that will fit your yard, your budget and your needs. TruGreen also offers additional services such as soil pH balance and termite treatment. Depending upon the service you choose you can increase or decrease TruGreen’s cost.
Localization
Location, location, location. The old saying “location matters” is true. You’ll be paying a little more if you live in an expensive area, city, or remote area. TruGreen charges a flat fee to cover their travel costs to get to your property. They will add to your fee if they need to travel extra distance or pay tolls. But TruGreen has branches in nearly every state, so these costs shouldn’t really make much of a difference.
Your Garden’s Size and Design
TruGreen calculates the cost of the onsite work based on the area of your yard. They also consider what you have and your needs. So, if you have a bunch of shrubs and trees, you’ll be paying more than someone with just one or two.
Current Health of Your Yard
It’s understandable that the current health of your yard will make a difference in how much your TruGreen service costs a month or how much TruGreen costs per year. TruGreen will require additional products if your yard has been damaged by disease or grubs.
What is TruGreen’s Actual Cost to Purchase? A 5000 square foot average.
TruGreen estimates the cost for a typical yard measuring 5000 square feet, including the average number of trees and shrubs. Below is a table listing the costs for each package. Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.
| TruGreen Treatment Programs | A typical 5,000-square-foot yard |
|---|---|
| Tru-Maintenance | Total Cost: $402 $37 First Treatment |
| Tru-Health | $475 Total Price $37 First Treatment |
| Tru-Complete | Total Cost $745 $37 First Treatment |
| Tru-Signature | $1208 Total cost $37 First Treatment |
| Tru-Natural | Total Cost: $402 $77 for the first treatment |
How about a bigger lawn? Minimum of 20,000 square feet
I have created a table that can be used for larger yards. It can be used for a yard measuring 20,000 square feet, or a half-acre. Let’s have a look at the cost for bigger yards. These are just estimates. Prices may vary depending on the factors that we have taken into consideration.
| TruGreen Treatment Programs | A typical yard is 20,000 square feet |
|---|---|
| Tru-Maintenance | $884 Total $68 First Treatment |
| Tru-Health | Total cost: $1020 $68 First Treatment |
| Tru-Complete | Total Cost $1636 $68 First Treatment |
| Tru-Signature | $2184 Total Cost $68 First Treatment |
| Tru-Natural | Total cost: $1283 $142 First Treatment |
How TruGreen compares to other options
Now, TruGreen isn’t the only option for professional lawn care providers. You’ll find contractors of all different services ranging from small one-person outfits all the way up to national competitors to TruGreen. TruGreen is the most trusted provider.
I’d say that the main consideration should be what a DIY solution can achieve compared to a professional plan. My experience shows that the most important difference between DIY and professional plans is the availability of knowledge, products, and equipment. I’m pretty sure most homeowners don’t have the same access to the quality of items a professional service offers. A professional service is better than DIY if you want to get the best results for your yard. Just be aware that it’ll cost considerably more than in you attempted to do the same work yourself.
